Stage is set for another year at Bonnaroo

The stage is set for what's become one of the most popular and eclectic music festivals in the world, and before the fans arrive, a lot of work is being done to make sure everyone stays safe.

An annual rite of summer, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival is officially underway in Coffee County.

Gates at the farm in Manchester opened Wednesday evening, and thousands of music fans will soon claim their campsites and plan which shows they want to see over the next four days.

Final preparations were completed Wednesday as the state health department issued permits and inspected 250 food tents.

"It is a huge undertaking," said Hugh Atkins, the Tennessee Department of Health director of Environmental Health.

The festival is also working to ensure there will be plenty of nurses and doctors on hand. There has to be one doctor for every 5,000 fans.

"The health department checks their licenses to make sure they're current," Atkins said.

The idea is to have a fun, healthy and safe festival.

"When you get a community of this size - 90,000 people - you're going to have health issues in a four-day period, and we're trying to keep those certainly to a minimum as we can," Atkins said.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has lowered the speed limit on Interstate 24 near Manchester to 55 mph. The goal is to get everyone to the festival safely. Officers will also be patrolling the roads near Bonnaroo, checking for drugs and weapons.

If you want to attend the festival, there is still one option available. For the first time, Bonnaroo is selling ticket packages for non-campers this year, and the deal includes shuttle service to and from LP Field in Nashville.

A social worker speaks with News 4 about why she believes the state needs to reform its Safekeeper Law. Under the law, those awaiting trial in county jails across the state can be moved to a state prison if that jail cannot treat an inmate's medical condition.

A social worker speaks with News 4 about why she believes the state needs to reform its Safekeeper Law. Under the law, those awaiting trial in county jails across the state can be moved to a state prison if that jail cannot treat an inmate's medical condition.

A mother and her six-year-old daughter were transported to the hospital after a man crashed his pickup truck into their home early Saturday morning. The incident occurred on Horn Tavern Road in Fairview. Tennessee Highway Patrol officers are currently searching for the suspect, who ran from the scene on foot.

A mother and her six-year-old daughter were transported to the hospital after a man crashed his pickup truck into their home early Saturday morning. The incident occurred on Horn Tavern Road in Fairview. Tennessee Highway Patrol officers are currently searching for the suspect, who ran from the scene on foot.

Airline employee Denice Miracle is credited with saving two teenage girls from a human trafficking plot. She said she first noticed something was wrong when the girls approached the check-in counter with their bags -- but no ID.

Airline employee Denice Miracle is credited with saving two teenage girls from a human trafficking plot. She said she first noticed something was wrong when the girls approached the check-in counter with their bags -- but no ID.

Minutes from meetings attended by the executive director of the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency show he was not in attendance, yet he received per diem, reimbursement of gas mileage and hotels in order to attend those meetings.

Minutes from meetings attended by the executive director of the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency show he was not in attendance, yet he received per diem, reimbursement of gas mileage and hotels in order to attend those meetings.